Brisbane Lions v Essendon Head-to-Head Record

Essendon lead Brisbane Lions 28–26 with 1 draw in 55 games since 1987. They have met once in a Grand Final; Brisbane Lions won the most recent, in 2001. Their last meeting, in the 2026 Round 18 at the Gabba, went to Brisbane Lions by 90 points. They next meet in the 2027 Round 20, Mon 26 Jul 2027, 12:00pm AEST.

Brisbane Lions 26Draws 1Essendon 28

55Games

2Finals

1Grand Finals

8–2Last 10

Brisbane Lions's record includes games played as Brisbane Bears (1987–1996). Source: Wikipedia: Brisbane Bears.

Last 10 meetings

Year	Round	Home	Score	Away	Venue	Result
2026 12 July	Round 18	Brisbane Lions	22.17 (149) – 8.11 (59)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 90
2026 2 May	Round 8	Essendon	11.13 (79) – 22.11 (143)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 64
2025 29 May	Round 12	Brisbane Lions	13.12 (90) – 11.6 (72)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 18
2024 24 Aug	Round 24	Brisbane Lions	11.21 (87) – 10.7 (67)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 20
2023 13 May	Round 9	Brisbane Lions	12.15 (87) – 6.9 (45)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 42
2022 10 July	Round 17	Brisbane Lions	13.12 (90) – 15.10 (100)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 10
2022 26 Mar	Round 2	Essendon	10.15 (75) – 15.7 (97)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 22
2021 17 Apr	Round 5	Brisbane Lions	15.12 (102) – 6.9 (45)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 57
2020 31 July	Round 9	Essendon	3.10 (28) – 14.7 (91)	Brisbane Lions	People First Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 63
2019 13 Apr	Round 4	Essendon	17.10 (112) – 9.11 (65)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Essendon by 47

Finals meetings

Year	Round	Home	Score	Away	Venue	Result
2001 29 Sept	Grand Final	Essendon	12.10 (82) – 15.18 (108)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Brisbane Lions by 26
1996 6 Sept	Finals Week 1	Brisbane Lions	15.11 (101) – 15.10 (100)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 1

Records

Biggest Brisbane Lions win 149–59, Round 18 2026 (90 pts)

Biggest Essendon win 194–54, Round 9 1988 (140 pts)

Highest combined score 283 (160–123, Round 17 2006)

Most common venue Gabba (23 games)

Every meeting

2020s · 9 games

Year	Round	Home	Score	Away	Venue	Result
2026 12 July	Round 18	Brisbane Lions	22.17 (149) – 8.11 (59)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 90
2026 2 May	Round 8	Essendon	11.13 (79) – 22.11 (143)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 64
2025 29 May	Round 12	Brisbane Lions	13.12 (90) – 11.6 (72)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 18
2024 24 Aug	Round 24	Brisbane Lions	11.21 (87) – 10.7 (67)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 20
2023 13 May	Round 9	Brisbane Lions	12.15 (87) – 6.9 (45)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 42
2022 10 July	Round 17	Brisbane Lions	13.12 (90) – 15.10 (100)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 10
2022 26 Mar	Round 2	Essendon	10.15 (75) – 15.7 (97)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 22
2021 17 Apr	Round 5	Brisbane Lions	15.12 (102) – 6.9 (45)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 57
2020 31 July	Round 9	Essendon	3.10 (28) – 14.7 (91)	Brisbane Lions	People First Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 63

2010s · 11 games

Year	Round	Home	Score	Away	Venue	Result
2019 13 Apr	Round 4	Essendon	17.10 (112) – 9.11 (65)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Essendon by 47
2018 10 June	Round 12	Brisbane Lions	8.14 (62) – 12.12 (84)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 22
2017 2 July	Round 15	Essendon	11.16 (82) – 13.12 (90)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 8
2017 1 Apr	Round 2	Brisbane Lions	12.12 (84) – 17.9 (111)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 27
2016 24 July	Round 18	Essendon	12.19 (91) – 20.8 (128)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 37
2015 24 May	Round 8	Essendon	21.10 (136) – 12.6 (78)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Essendon by 58
2014 10 May	Round 8	Brisbane Lions	8.9 (57) – 9.11 (65)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 8
2013 18 May	Round 8	Essendon	12.14 (86) – 14.12 (96)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 10
2012 5 May	Round 6	Essendon	19.15 (129) – 9.8 (62)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Essendon by 67
2011 14 May	Round 8	Brisbane Lions	9.12 (66) – 15.12 (102)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 36
2010 22 Aug	Round 21	Essendon	10.8 (68) – 14.11 (95)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 27

2000s · 16 games

Year	Round	Home	Score	Away	Venue	Result
2009 8 Aug	Round 19	Essendon	13.9 (87) – 12.15 (87)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Draw
2009 2 May	Round 6	Brisbane Lions	17.9 (111) – 9.14 (68)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 43
2008 12 July	Round 15	Essendon	24.11 (155) – 18.10 (118)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Essendon by 37
2007 19 May	Round 8	Essendon	18.19 (127) – 8.15 (63)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Essendon by 64
2006 29 July	Round 17	Essendon	25.10 (160) – 18.15 (123)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Essendon by 37
2006 8 Apr	Round 2	Brisbane Lions	17.13 (115) – 15.7 (97)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 18
2005 23 July	Round 17	Brisbane Lions	17.12 (114) – 14.17 (101)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 13
2005 30 Apr	Round 6	Essendon	12.16 (88) – 21.10 (136)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 48
2004 12 June	Round 12	Essendon	14.12 (96) – 25.12 (162)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 66
2003 19 July	Round 16	Essendon	14.10 (94) – 12.14 (86)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Essendon by 8
2003 29 Mar	Round 1	Brisbane Lions	14.20 (104) – 8.13 (61)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 43
2002 3 Aug	Round 18	Essendon	11.5 (71) – 16.12 (108)	Brisbane Lions	Marvel Stadium	Brisbane Lions by 37
2002 13 Apr	Round 3	Brisbane Lions	17.15 (117) – 9.13 (67)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 50
2001 29 Sept	Grand Final	Essendon	12.10 (82) – 15.18 (108)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Brisbane Lions by 26
2001 2 June	Round 10	Brisbane Lions	15.12 (102) – 10.14 (74)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 28
2000 1 May	Round 8	Brisbane Lions	9.9 (63) – 19.13 (127)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 64

1990s · 14 games

Year	Round	Home	Score	Away	Venue	Result
1999 19 June	Round 12	Brisbane Lions	9.17 (71) – 13.11 (89)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 18
1998 15 May	Round 8	Essendon	12.12 (84) – 8.22 (70)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Essendon by 14
1997 23 Aug	Round 21	Brisbane Lions	15.12 (102) – 16.10 (106)	Essendon	Gabba	Essendon by 4
1997 3 May	Round 6	Essendon	15.12 (102) – 9.17 (71)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Essendon by 31
1996 6 Sept	Finals Week 1	Brisbane Lions	15.11 (101) – 15.10 (100)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 1
1996 14 July	Round 15	Brisbane Lions	15.13 (103) – 10.8 (68)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 35
1995 26 Aug	Round 21	Brisbane Lions	17.14 (116) – 12.12 (84)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 32
1995 7 May	Round 6	Essendon	19.14 (128) – 14.16 (100)	Brisbane Lions	Princes Park	Essendon by 28
1994 19 June	Round 13	Brisbane Lions	17.12 (114) – 11.15 (81)	Essendon	Gabba	Brisbane Lions by 33
1993 3 July	Round 14	Essendon	23.17 (155) – 4.15 (39)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Essendon by 116
1992 14 June	Round 13	Brisbane Lions	12.13 (85) – 18.11 (119)	Essendon	People First Stadium	Essendon by 34
1991 10 Aug	Round 21	Essendon	23.19 (157) – 17.10 (112)	Brisbane Lions	Windy Hill	Essendon by 45
1991 27 Apr	Round 6	Brisbane Lions	12.11 (83) – 16.18 (114)	Essendon	People First Stadium	Essendon by 31
1990 23 June	Round 13	Brisbane Lions	7.13 (55) – 15.19 (109)	Essendon	People First Stadium	Essendon by 54

1980s · 5 games

Year	Round	Home	Score	Away	Venue	Result
1989 12 Aug	Round 19	Essendon	15.11 (101) – 7.5 (47)	Brisbane Lions	Windy Hill	Essendon by 54
1989 14 May	Round 7	Brisbane Lions	12.9 (81) – 17.10 (112)	Essendon	People First Stadium	Essendon by 31
1988 24 July	Round 17	Brisbane Lions	10.14 (74) – 16.7 (103)	Essendon	People First Stadium	Essendon by 29
1988 27 May	Round 9	Essendon	29.20 (194) – 8.6 (54)	Brisbane Lions	MCG	Essendon by 140
1987 20 June	Round 13	Essendon	9.10 (64) – 3.9 (27)	Brisbane Lions	Windy Hill	Essendon by 37

Includes every completed VFL/AFL game between the two clubs, home-and-away and finals.

Brisbane LionsAll-time26–281 drawEssendon head-to-head record

Last 10 meetings

Finals meetings

Records

Every meeting